Dating You

"Yes Governor I understand." Quistis said speaking on the phone as she typed on her computer. "It will be discussed at the meeting today. We should be able to come up with a solution by this afternoon. Thank you for your call. Goodbye." She sighed. This week had been busy non-stop with the discussion on trade routes through Galbadia. The new laws were regulating what could be traded on which roads.

"Thank Hyne its Friday." She muttered.

Her computer beeped with the noise that she had a new email.

"Geez Phoenix what is it this time?" She muttered. But it wasn't from Phoenix. It was from Seifer.

"Well this should be good."

She opened the email. It read:

My dear advisor

Can't wait to see you tonight. Can't stop thinking about you

Seifer.

Quistis smiled happily. It had been three months since they started dating. It had also been the best three months of her life.

Tonight they were going to a play at the old theatre in Deling. Quistis had laughed when Seifer had expressed interest in seeing a play.

"You like the arts?" She asked.

"Of course I do." He protested. "I may be able to fight but I can also think."

"We'll see about that."

He had ended the conversation with his trademark smirk, which had driven her absolutely crazy. It was strange how the little things that he did had an effect on her.

"I must be in love. Or at least close to it."

RING RING

"Hello Quistis Trepe speaking."

"Hello Quistis my dear how are you?" Edea Kramer's voice came as clear as a bell through the earpiece.

"I'm fine Matron." Quistis replied to her former caretaker. "What can I do for you?"

"Well seeing that it's Hynemas in a few weeks I was wondering if you would like to come back to Garden for a week. We all miss you here."

"That would be wonderful." Quistis said happily. "I miss everyone too."

"I'm glad to hear it dear. Bring Seifer too. Cid and I would very much like to see him again as well."

Quistis froze.

"Are you still there Quistis?" Edea asked.

"Um Matron are you that's a good idea considering all that's happened?"

"It was over two years ago Quistis. Everything is going to be fine. Just bring him home okay?"

"Okay Matron you win."

"Good girl Quistis. We'll see you soon. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Edea." She hung up the phone and sighed. How the hell was she going to pull this one off?

"Well that wasn't too bad." Seifer commented as they walked out of the theatre.

"Is that your way of saying that it didn't bore you completely to death?" Quistis teased him.

"Yeah pretty much." He replied. "But you liked it so it's good enough for me."

"Hmm think of all the things that I could drag you to then."

"Hey don't get any ideas now." They stopped as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Actually I'm getting a few of a more adult nature."

"Tell me more babe."

"You, me and my house within the next ten minutes."

Seifer raised his eyebrows. "Too long. My place is closer."

The next morning Quistis awoke with her head on Seifer's chest and his arm wrapped around her waist. She smiled and felt incredibly peaceful.

She just lay there thinking when suddenly she realised something.

"Aww shit." She muttered.

It was at that moment that her boyfriend chose to wake up.

"Something wrong babe?" Seifer asked as he yawned.

"No. Yes. I just remembered something. Edea called yesterday. She wants us to come to Balamb for Hynemas."

Seifer didn't say anything. He just lay there running his fingers through Quistis' hair.

"Well. Do you want to go or not?"

"I don't know Quisty. Is that really a good idea?"

"That's what I asked her."

"If I didn't go would you go?"

Quistis sighed. "Well I would like to see Edea again. And it would be nice to see everybody else. But I don't want to go without you."

"I guess I could come. But I'm not promising that I'll behave the whole time."

"Seifer!"

"I'm kidding. Come on. Lets get up. That café around the corner makes really good pancakes.

As they left the apartment Quistis kept thinking.

Do you really want to go Seifer? Or do you feel like you should?

What have I gotten myself into?

"I don't know what to do." Quistis said to Phoenix as they rummaged around in an expensive clothing store in Deling. "He says he'll come but I know that he doesn't want to."

"Does this suit me?" Phoenix said as she held a black top up.

"No you don't have the right colouring for it."

Phoenix threw it back it onto the pile. "I don't know Quistis. The likelihood of it all is that he's doing this for you because he cares. He wants you to be happy. He loves you."

"Does he?" Quistis asked her. "He hasn't even said it."

"He doesn't need to Quistis." The president replied. "I can see it when he looks at you. Some guys just need a bit of time to say how they feel. Hyne knows it took forever with Dean."

"Yeah but you're married now. You don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. Meanwhile I'm racking my brains trying to figure out if it really is a good idea taking him back there."

"I'm sure that everything will be fine."

"I hope so." She looked around and spotted a dress. "Hey what about this one?"

One week later Quistis was in her home packing to go to Balamb. A suitcase lay on the bed with clothes neatly folded in it.

"I wonder if I'll need this." Quistis said aloud looking at her hair straightener.

"Quisty you home?" Seifer's voice called through the halls.

"Yeah just in the bedroom." She yelled back.

As he entered the room Quistis rushed up to throw her arms around him.

"What are you doing here? She teased. "Did you miss me all of a sudden?"

"Well actually," Seifer began. Noticing the ongoing packing on Quistis' bed he asked, "What's all this?"

"Oh its for our trip next week." She explained. "Have you started packing yet?"

"Ah yeah about that." Seifer sat down on the bed. "I don't know if I'm going to go after all."

"What do you mean?" Quistis asked in disbelief.

"I don't think I should be there around them Quisty. They all nearly died at my hands. There are a lot of people there who hate me. I just shouldn't go okay?"

"Seifer you can't keep running from them. It's just going to make things worse."

"How Quistis? I don't think it could possibly get any worse than what I've done."

"It wasn't your fault Seifer."

"Yes it was!" Seifer snapped. "Don't you see? I was so blind and so fucking arrogant that I let Ultimercia do those things to me. I wanted to believe that I was worth something. I believed it so much that I almost destroyed everything including you."

"So you're just going to hide until it's all over and nobody remembers who you are?" Quistis demanded. "You can't keep doing that Seifer. It'll destroy you in the end."

"Why can't you go alone?"

"Because I don't want to go alone Seifer. Godammit I want to be with you but you keep pushing me out. Please come with me."

Quistis stared into his deep green eyes. Normally they sparkled with confidence but now they were filled with a deep inner pain.

"I'm sorry Quistis. I just can't."

"Then can you please leave?" She pleaded. "We'll talk when you come back okay?"

He nodded. Instead of kissing her like he normally did he just walked out.

Quistis waited until she heard her front door close then she let out a sigh.

"Goddam you Seifer." Exasperated she threw her hands up in the air. "Men. They're all alike."

Seifer sat in a bar alone sipping on a beer and watching the people go by the window in Deling City.

"Evening Almasy."

Seifer nearly jumped. "Mrs President."

"Oh relax. We're not at work." Phoenix said as she sat down next to the general. "White wine please." She said to the bartender.

"So what brings you here Phoenix?" He casually asked her.

"I like to come here sometimes after the day's over and have a drink." She explained. "It clears my head. How about you?"

"I've got a lot on mind."

"Do you want to talk?"

Seifer shrugged. "Quistis wants me to come back to Balamb with her but I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Come on Phoenix you know my history."

"Ah I see."

"I love her I really do but I don't know if I'm ready to go back there and face them."

"Whoa!" Phoenix said in shock.

"What?"

"You just said that you loved her. That's pretty big."

"I know."

"Have you told her?"

Seifer said nothing but shook his head.

"If you think she's worth it and if you love her then firstly tell her and then go with her. She'll be with you on this Seifer."

"I don't doubt her I just don't know if I'm ready to face my past or not."

"You'll be fine. Besides would you rather spend Hynemas by yourself?"

Seifer finished his beer. "Thanks for the talk Phoenix. I'll see you tomorrow."

As he walked out of the bar Phoenix shook her head. "Come on Almasy you can do better that this."

The next week Quistis was at Deling train station buying her ticket to Balamb. She was reaching into her purse when she heard "Quisty wait for me!"

Quistis grinned when she heard that voice. Seifer ran to her and hugged her.

"I couldn't let you leave without me now could I?" He smirked.

"Make that two tickets to Balamb." She said to the man at the ticket box.

"Yes Madam."

After they had boarded the train and found their cabin they sat down for some time in silence.

"Quisty," Seifer said breaking the stillness. "There's something I have to say to you." He looked down for a moment and then looked her straight in the eyes.

"Quistis Trepe my beloved advisor I love you. And I'm not afraid anymore. I can face this if I'm with you."

Quistis smiled and lowered her eyes. "I love you too Seifer."

"Is this a private cabin?" He asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"You bet it is."

Seifer hit the lock switch on the cabin doors and smirked at her. "Good."

A passenger passing by heard the giggle inside the cabin as the train pulled out of Deling City station.

"I wonder what's going on in there?"

Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to post this. I've had a really bad case of writer's block. I hope you liked this one. The next story is about Quistis and Seifer's trip to Balamb for Hynemas. In case you didn't know Hynemas is supposed to be their version of Christmas. Stay tuned.